The New Spider-Man Trailer Will Turn You Into A True Believer

Alex Knapp
,
Forbes Staff
I write about the future of science, technology, and culture.

I'll admit it. My attitude towards the new reboot of the Spider-Man trilogy, just a decade after Sam Raimi's first film, has ranged from dismissive on most days to skeptical on others. I didn't see the point. I loved Raimi's first two Spider-Man movies (let's not talk about the third, though.) And I honestly didn't see why anyone would try to improve on them.

But now I've seen the newest trailer, and this jaded comics fan has become a true believer. Peter Parker looks like a high school student! He shows off his science talent. He wisecracks to criminals. He fights with the cops (a big comics plot point). He builds his own webshooters!

And, as much as I loved Cliff Robertson, I think that Martin Sheen is inspired casting for Uncle Ben. And Denis Leary as Captain Parker, determined to get Spider-Man? I love it.

Here's the thing. I did like the Raimi Spider-Man movies, but they had their fair share of campiness and cheese. This Spider-Man looks different. It's more like the comics that I loved when I was a kid growing up. I love the current of anger underlying Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker. Which makes sense - he's a bullied kid who finally gets to fight back. Of course he's angry. I like that we're being shown Peter's science genius, instead of the telling we got from Raimi's movies.

I admit, it may turn out that the trailer just shows the highlights of the movie. I may well be incredibly disappointed in July. But you know what? I don't think I will be. Check out the trailer for yourself and tell me what you think, True Believers.